Wednesday, January 14, 2009

MyLinh

I am grateful for the blogs that I follow, as I long to know what adoptive families are experiencing after they bring little ones home. So, for those who peek in from the Holt community, here is an update on our little My.

At 21 months, she tips the scale at 22ish pounds and is just now fitting into a few 24 month sized clothes. She eats everything (a big change from the one year old who only ate themes and variations of chicken and rice), and she rarely stops moving. Energetic and imaginative, she spends her days pushing trucks with big brother Malcolm or making "juice" or "treat" in her play kitchen (using words and appropriate pouring and mixing noises) to share with anyone who will take a "bite." She will try most words you give her, and she attempts counting and the alphabet (with decent accuracy)!

Her attention span is lengthening, so she can now sit through stories, though likely, after she presents you a stack of books to "read, read," she will jump up mid-tale to a new adventure. MyLinh loves the park, fearless on both slide and swing, and from her vantage in the backpack, she enjoys most trekking we do. She is a sparkler, lighting up the room, but she is also learning boundaries by testing every one (and everyone) that comes her way. Her nonstop days come to screeching halts at nap time (almost exactly 90 minutes long) and 7:00 p.m., when she nestles in for the night, baby in her mouth (a Twinkle Baby replaced the orphanage towel not long after her arrival home).

Ten months ago this precious girl was placed in our arms, and in those early weeks as we worked through her fear and grief (which felt so much like rejection), we wondered what normal would look like. It is incredible to say that this new normal includes a healthy, happy little girl who loves us perhaps as fiercely as we love her. I am amazed daily at this precious gift of life entrusted to us!

Wow! Sweet, sweet, sweet. What a wonderful update. Will you come an do my baby books? ;)Loved the pictures of our beautiful My and all the details. She is such a doll, and I feel so blessed to call her my niece.love you allAuntie K & Uncle Johnny